Electric vehicle supply equipment for electric vehicles

Abstract

Electric vehicle supply equipment includes an alternating current to direct current converter having an alternating current input and a direct current output. A direct current bus is electrically interconnected with the direct current output of the alternating current to direct current converter. Each of a plurality of direct current to direct current converters includes an input powered by the direct current bus and an output structured to charge a corresponding one of a plurality of different electric vehicles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Electric vehicle supply equipment comprising:
 an alternating current to direct current converter comprising an alternating current input and a direct current output;   a direct current bus electrically interconnected with the direct current output of said alternating current to direct current converter; and   a plurality of direct current to direct current converters, each of said direct current to direct current converters comprising an input powered by said direct current bus and an output structured to charge a corresponding one of a plurality of different electric vehicles.   
     
     
         2 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 1  wherein said alternating current to direct current converter is sized and structured to power all of said plurality of different electric vehicles. 
     
     
         3 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 1  wherein said each of said direct current to direct current converters is sized and structured to power one of said different electric vehicles. 
     
     
         4 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 1  wherein the corresponding one of the different electric vehicles includes an input structured to receive a direct current voltage from the output of a corresponding one of said direct current to direct current converters. 
     
     
         5 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 4  wherein the corresponding one of said direct current to direct current converters is external to the corresponding one of the different electric vehicles. 
     
     
         6 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 1  wherein said direct current bus is further electrically interconnected with a renewable energy power source to independently power said direct current bus. 
     
     
         7 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 1  wherein each of said direct current to direct current converters is structured to communicate with said alternating current to direct current converter. 
     
     
         8 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 7  wherein said alternating current to direct current converter is structured to limit power consumed by said direct current to direct current converters from said alternating current to direct current converter. 
     
     
         9 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 8  wherein said alternating current to direct current converter is further structured to input a power threshold from at least one of an input from a utility and an input from a user, and to communicate said power threshold to said direct current to direct current converters. 
     
     
         10 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 8  wherein said alternating current to direct current converter is further structured to input a demand reduction signal, and to communicate said demand reduction signal to said direct current to direct current converters; and wherein each of said direct current to direct current converters is structured to reduce power output to said output structured to charge the corresponding one of the different electric vehicles based upon said demand reduction signal. 
     
     
         11 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 8  wherein said alternating current to direct current converter is further structured to input a demand reduction signal, and at least one of a state of battery charge of each of the different electric vehicles and a priority of each of the different electric vehicles, and to communicate a command to a selected number of said direct current to direct current converters to reduce power output to said output structured to charge the corresponding one of the different electric vehicles for a number of the different electric vehicles based on the demand reduction signal and said at least one of the state of battery charge of each of the different electric vehicles and the priority of each of the different electric vehicles. 
     
     
         12 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 8  wherein said alternating current to direct current converter is further structured to input a power threshold, to input a state of battery charge of each of the different electric vehicles, and to communicate a command to a selected number of said direct current to direct current converters to reduce power output to said output structured to charge the corresponding one of the different electric vehicles for a number of the different electric vehicles having the lowest state of battery charge until power output to said direct current bus is less than or equal to said power threshold. 
     
     
         13 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 8  wherein said alternating current to direct current converter is further structured to input a power threshold, to input a priority of each of the different electric vehicles, and to communicate a command to a selected number of said direct current to direct current converters to reduce power output to said output structured to charge the corresponding one of the different electric vehicles for a number of the different electric vehicles having the lowest priority until power output to said direct current bus is less than or equal to said power threshold. 
     
     
         14 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 8  wherein said alternating current to direct current converter has an output power capacity and is further structured to input a power threshold, and to communicate a command to each of said direct current to direct current converters to reduce power output to said output structured to charge the corresponding one of the different electric vehicles by: the output power capacity times one minus the power threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 1  wherein each of said direct current to direct current converters comprises at least one power unit comprising an input electrically connected to said direct current bus, an inverter powered by the last said input, a transformer comprising a primary winding powered by said inverter and a secondary winding, a rectifier comprising an input powered by said secondary winding and an output, and a filter for the output of said rectifier, said filter comprising the output structured to charge the corresponding one of the different electric vehicles. 
     
     
         16 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 15  wherein said at least one power unit further comprises a processor structured to control said inverter to limit power consumed by the corresponding one of said direct current to direct current converters from said alternating current to direct current converter. 
     
     
         17 . The electric vehicle supply equipment of  claim 16  wherein said alternating current to direct current converter further comprises a processor and a communication interface; and wherein said at least one power unit further comprises a communication interface structured to communicate with the communication interface of said alternating current to direct current converter. 
     
     
         18 . Electric vehicle supply equipment comprising:
 a first processor comprising a first communication interface;   an alternating current to direct current converter comprising an alternating current input and a direct current output;   a direct current bus electrically interconnected with the direct current output of said alternating current to direct current converter; and   a plurality of direct current to direct current converters, each of said direct current to direct current converters comprising an input powered by said direct current bus, a second processor, a second communication interface, and at least one power unit controlled by said second processor and comprising an output structured to charge the corresponding one of the different electric vehicles,   wherein said first communication interface is structured to communicate with said second communication interface, and   wherein said first processor is structured to communicate a power threshold from at least one of an input from a utility and an input from a user, and to communicate a number of messages to the second processor of a corresponding number of said direct current to direct current converters to limit power output by the at least one power unit of the corresponding number of said direct current to direct current converters.